Requires schoolchildren to get shots for measles, other diseases

Senate Bill 277, authored by state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, and Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, requires students at public and private schools in California to be vaccinated for 10 common childhood diseases unless there is a medical reason they cannot receive the vaccination.

The bill, inspired by a measles outbreak in California that started at Disneyland in December, triggered heated debate and passionate testimony on both sides.

While most schoolage children are vaccinated in Alameda County, about 20,000 unvaccinated kindergardeners and about 16,000 unvaccinated seventh graders were enrolled in public schools this past year under the personal belief exemption, according to data from the California health department.

Proponents, including San Francisco and Marin county supervisors, physicians groups and school districts, pointed to the risk posed to public health by low vaccination rates in some communities. Opponents claimed that the vaccines also carry risks and argued that parents should have the right to choose whether to use them or seek a religious exemption.

"The science is clear that vaccines dramatically protect children against a number of infectious and dangerous diseases," Brown said today in his signing statement. "While it's true that no medical intervention is without risk, the evidence shows that immunization powerfully benefits and protects the community."

Brown noted that the state Legislature amended the bill to allow exemptions from immunizations whenever a child's physician specifically concludes there are reasons they are not advisable.

Under the new law, unvaccinated students will now need to be either home schooled, attend a multi-family private home school, or use an independent study program.

Students who currently have personal beliefs exemptions will not be kicked out of school, but will be allowed to continue enrollment until they enter the next grade span, as outlined in the law. In practice, this means that the new requirements have the most immediate effect on those enrolling in new schools or starting kindergarten or seventh grade.